Musical instrument spatulate key

ABSTRACT

A spatulate key in the form of a plate for a musical instrument, wherein a tab is pivotally connected to the plate and has one edge adjacent the plate and parallel to the pivot axis.

' United States Patent [191 Carree 111 3,857,317 Dec. 31, 1974 MUSICAL INSTRUMENT SPATULATE KEY [75] Inventor: Robert V. Carree, Mantes-la-Ville,

France [73] Assignee: Buffet Crampon, Paris, France 22 Filed: Apr. 9, 1974 211' App]. No.: 459,322

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 2, 1973 France 73.15659 [52] US. Cl. 84/380, 84/385 [51] Int. Cl. GlOd 7/00v [58] Field of Search 84/380, 382, 384, 385

[56] References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 6,509 12/1912 Great Britain 84/380 Primary Examiner-Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-John F. Gonzales Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Flynn & Frishauf [57] ABSTRACT A spatulate key in the form of a plate for a musical instrument, wherein a tab is pivotally connected to the plate and has one edge adjacent the plate and parallel to the pivot axis.

9 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATEHTEDUEC31 I974 SHEET 2 or 2 Fics.s

FiG. 6

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION This invention relates to musical instruments, such as Saxophones, comprising spatulate keys, stops, caps or other finger pieces arranged adjacent one another and moved by the fingers of the musician.

When two adjacent spatulate keys, whose contact surfaces are at the same level in a rest position, have to be successively depressed by'the musician using the same finger with a very brief interval in between, the finger, which has moved downwards in depressing the first spatulate key, is below the contact surface of the second spatulate key. It is unable to slide from one spatulate key to the other on account of the difference in level between the two keys. The musician has to make one movement to raise his finger by a distance sufficient at least to overcome the difference in level, followed by another movement, in which he moves his finger perpendicularly to the first movement, and, finally, by a third movement in which he lowers his finger onto the contact surface of the second spatulate key. The musician only has to lift his finger to the rest level of the second spatulate key. However, he has no way of knowing when this level is reached. In order, therefore, to maintain a safety margin, he raises his finger well above the required level so as to avoid any risk of striking the edge of the other spatulate key. The distance to be covered by and the indefinacy of this first I movement,-in which the finger is raised, increases the delay elapsing before the musician is able to depress thesecond spatulate key. As a result, even virtuosos are unable to keep to the-tempo of certain pieces of music.

PRIOR ART It has been proposed to provide the adjacent edges of spatulate keys with rollers to form a rounded guide edge. These rollers enable the finger 'to pass more quickly from one spatulate key to the other in a lateral movement. They do not reduce the safety margin in the initial elevation of the finger, which is so detrimental to the quality of the music.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The invention obviates this disadvantage by eliminating the need for a safety margin. By virtue of the invention, the musician need only raise his finger to the height required to overcome the difference in level between the spatulate keys.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION posite its contact surface.

When pressure is applied to the plate of the spatulate key, the pivotal joint or hinge, integral with the plate, is lowered. That zone of the tabsupported by the other spatulate key remains at the same level as the latter. The tab thus forms a guide ramp across which the musician is able to slide his finger from one spatulate key to the other without any break in continuity.

FURTHER FEATURES OF THE INVENTION I In order to facilitate the tilting movement of the tab, it is best for its area to be smaller than that of the plate and for its contour to comprise a contact point situated further away from the hinge than the rest of the tab. To this end, the hinge can form an acute angle with that edge of the tab adjacent the other spatulate key.

In order to benefit by the same advantage when the finger passes from the other spatulate key back to the first spatulate key, an entraining member is fixed to the tab at a distance from the hinge. When the otherspatulate key is depressed, this member is entrained with it.

In turn, it entrains the tab downwards. The tab' tilts from the hinge, which remains at the same level as the spatulate'key, down towards the lowered zone, for example the aforementioned contact point, to which the entraining'membere is fixed. In general, this member extends from that surface of the spatulate key opposite its contact surface so as to keep this contact surface clear.

The two possibilities discussed above can be obtained at one and the same time. Support can be provided by a knob which projects from the tab and which engages in a supporting fork or cavity provided on the other spatulate key. This knob also acts as entraining member in conjunction with the upper surface of the cavity. However, it is preferred to provide the other spatulate key with a supporting and entraining knob engaged in a fork of the tab formed by an entraining tongue and the opposite supporting surface.

In order to render compatible the various pivoting movements of the tab and spatulate keys about their various respective axes, it is advisable for the combined entraining and supporting members to cooperate with some play, advantageously in two perpendicular directions. Thus, the engaging end of the supporting or entraining knob can be conical in shape and/or the fork can be widened to facilitate movement of the knob in the fork.

These movements are limited if the hinge forms, with the edge of the tab adjacent the other spatulate key, an acute angle in the same direction as and substantially equal to the angle formed with its rod by one of the levers for operating the spatulate keys.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS bodiments.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Two rods l and 2 are mounted for rotation in bear ings 3 supported by the body 4 of the saxophone according to the invention.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are sections through another two em- A spatulate key 5 is fixed to the end of a lever 6 integral with the rod 1'. Another spatulate key 7 is fixed to the end of a lever 8 integral with the rod 2.

The spatulate key 5 is oblong. It comprises a plate 10 and a tab 11. The lower surface of the plate 10, opposite its contact surface 9, is fixed to the lever 6. The tab 11 is pivotally connected to one edge of the plate 10 through a conventional pivotal joint or hinge 12. The hinge consists of a central male knuckle of the tab arranged between two female knuckles of the plate. A pin 13 is inserted into the eyes of the knuckles. One edge 14 of the tab 11 is opposite an edge 15 of the other spatulate key 7. The pin 13 forms with the edges 14 and 15 an acute angle a. A free edge 16 of the tab 11 is adjacent the edge 14. The tip or corner of the tab 11 defined by the edges 14 and 16 is more remote from the pin 13 than the rest of the tab 11. A tongue, bent in the form of an L extends from the lower surface of this corner. The end arm 17 of the tongue and the lower surface of the corner form the two arms of the fork. From its beginning toward its end, the arm'l7 diverges from the lower surface of the tab 11, although the fork is widened. The part'located between the two arm of the fork is turned with respect to the edge 16, whilst the lateral opening of the fork opens below the edge 14.

A tongue 18,-extended by a tapering knob 19, extends from the lever 8 of the other spatulate key 7. The knob 19 projects from the edge 15 and is engaged in the fork through the lateral opening thereof.

In FIG. 2, the two spatulate keys 5 and 7 are shown in their rest position.

In FIG. 3, pressure has been applied to the plate 10 of the spatulate key 5. The knob 19 integral with the other spatulate key 7 has remained fixed and has formed a supporting member for the lower contact surface of the tip of the tab 11 referred to above. Entrained by the plate 10, the tab 11 has pivoted about theh knob 19. It forms a ramp leading from the hinge l2, situated at the same level as the spatulate key 5, to the tip situated at the same level as the other spatulate key 7. The movement of the knob 19 in the fork in two perpendicular directions, and more especially the taper of the knob 19, enables the spatulate key 5 and the tab 11 to pivot about different axes.

In FIG. 4, pressure has been applied to the other spatulate key 7, thereby lowering the knob 19. Accordingly, the knob 19 has pushed the arm 17 and, thus, entrained the tab 11 by its tip defined between the edges 14 and 16. The tab 11 has pivoted about the hinge 12. It forms a ramp leading from the tip, situated at the same level as the other spatulate key 7, to the hinge 12 situated at the same level as the spatulate key 5. During lowering of the tip, the knob 19 has described the fork both by moving away from the part located between the two arms of the fork and by tending to disengage itself from the form through the lateralopening. The play of the knob 19 in the fork has not blocked the interval between the other spatulate key 7, which pivots about the rod 2, and the tab 11 which pivots about the 4 hinge 12.

FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment. The supporting and entraining knob 19 is integral with the spatulate key 5, whilst its receiving member, which supports or entrains it, is arranged on the other spatulate key 7. Instead of being in the form of a fork, this member is in the form of a recessed cavity 20 whose opening is larger than the cross-section of the knob, thus enabling the knob to move in the cavity.

The knob and the fork are interchangeable in regard to their positions, in other words the knob can be positioned under the tab 11 of the spatulate key 5, and the fork under the spatulate key 7, as shown in FIG. 6, or the knob can be positioned under the spatulate key 7 and the fork under the tab 11 of the spatulate key 5.

What is claimed is:

1. In a musical instrument, a spatulate key comprising a plate, a tab, means pivotally connecting the tab to the plate with one edge of said tab adjacent the plate and parallel to the pivot axis, and an entraining member fixed to the tab at a predetermined distance from the pivotal connection.

2. A spatulate key as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tab is pivotally connected to one of the edges of the plate.

3. A spatulate key as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface of the tab is smaller than the surface of the plate.

4. A spatulate key as claimed in claim 1, wherein the axis of the pivotal connecting means forms an acute angle with one of the edges of the tab adjacent to it.

5. A spatulate key as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tab has a contour defining an extreme point which is remote from the pivotal connecting means.

6. A spatulate key as claimed in claim 1, wherein the entraining member extends from that surface of the spatulate key opposite its contact surface.

7. A musical instrument, such as a saxophone, comprising first and second spatulate keys, wherein the first spatulate key has an edge adjacent the second spatulate key and comprises a plate, a tab, means pivotally connecting the tab to the plate with one edge of said tab adjacent the plate and parallel to the pivot axis and an extraining member, and the second spatulate key comprises an associated supporting member cooperating with the entraining member with a degree of play the aforementioned associated members being movable in mutually perpendicular directions.

8. A musical instrument as claimed in claim 7, wherein the supporting member has a part defining a cavity for receiving a knob carried by the entraining member and adapted to engage in said cavity, the engaging end of the knob being conical.

9. A musical instrument as claimed in claim 7, comprising levers integralwith rods for operating the spatulate keys, wherein the pivotal connecting means sof the first spatulate key forms, with the edge of the tab adjacent the second spatulate key, an acute angle. 

1. In a musical instrument, a spatulate key comprising a plate, a tab, means pivotally connecting the tab to the plate with one edge of said tab adjacent the plate and parallel to the pivot axis, and an entraining member fixed to the tab at a predetermined distance from the pivotal connection.
 2. A spatulate key as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tab is pivotally connected to one of the edges of the plate.
 3. A spatulate key as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface of the tab is smaller than the surface of the plate.
 4. A spatulate key as claimed in claim 1, wherein the axis of the pivotal connecting means forms an acute angle with one of the edges of the tab adjacent to it.
 5. A spatulate key as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tab has a contour defining an extreme point which is remote from the pivotal connecting means.
 6. A spatulate key as claimed in claim 1, wherein the entraining member extends from that surface of the spatulate key opposite its contact surface.
 7. A musical instrument, such as a saxophone, comprising first and second spatulate keys, wherein the first spatulate key has an edge adjacent the second spatulate key and comprises a plate, a tab, means pivotally connecting the tab to the plate with one edge of said tab adjacent the plate and parallel to the pivot axis and an extraining member, aNd the second spatulate key comprises an associated supporting member cooperating with the entraining member with a degree of play the aforementioned associated members being movable in mutually perpendicular directions.
 8. A musical instrument as claimed in claim 7, wherein the supporting member has a part defining a cavity for receiving a knob carried by the entraining member and adapted to engage in said cavity, the engaging end of the knob being conical.
 9. A musical instrument as claimed in claim 7, comprising levers integral with rods for operating the spatulate keys, wherein the pivotal connecting means sof the first spatulate key forms, with the edge of the tab adjacent the second spatulate key, an acute angle. 